Con Colburn may not have been known for his surfing prowess,
but he made significant contributions to the sport as a products
innovator. Along with his Con Surfboards business, he also started
ConTrol Products, a company dedicated to developing new surfing
products. Between 1966 and 1971, ConTrol introduced such products as a
floating removable fin system, a surfboard traction spray and the first
commercially produced surf leash (called the Power Cord). Many of you
may remember Slipcheck, the original traction aerosol developed by Tom
Morey in 1965. Also, it was Pat O'Neill, Jack's son, who is credited
with inventing the modern surf leash--even though Tom Blake
experimented with a cord made of cotton rope back in the mid-1930s. But
it was Con Colburn who actually began marketing a version of it
commercially in late 1971. Con also is credited with inventing and
introducing the leash plug during the same year; after other methods of
attaching early leashes failed, Con's plug remains essentially
unchanged from his original design.

Con Surfboards is probably best remembered for two models that
had become extremely popular by 1967--the aptly-named "Ugly" and the
"C.C. Rider." The blunt-nosed "Ugly" was introduced in response to the
noseriding craze that was happening at the time, and since East Coast
champion Claude Codgen designed the C.C. Rider, this popular signature
model helped capture the growing East Coast market.

By the late 1970s, Con Surfboards had all but faded into
surfing history. In 1988, Con retired to Bishop, California, a small
resort community in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains, where he died
just four years later at the age of 57. Then, in 1996, seasoned
surfboard shaper Bruce Grant bought the Con Surfboards name. He has
since worked to revive the once-popular name and is producing "The
Ugly," the "Super Ugly" and the "C.C. Rider," along with a line of
modern longboards, fun shapes and shortboard designs. In 2004, the
factory and showroom was moved to its present location near Manhattan
Beach, California. Check out the Con website at www.consurfboards.com.

Check out more classic shop biographies at http://www.lastwave.com/legends/

Bing was born in Torrance, California in 1936 and grew up just
a few blocks from the Manhattan Beach pier. When he was 12, Dale
Velzy--working as a lifeguard at the time--asked Bing if he wanted to
try one of his old boards. As Bing recalls, "the board was about eight
feet long and weighed about eighty pounds...we pearled for the first
ten or so waves but then finally I remember standing up and riding
straight off all the way to the beach." I knew at that moment that this
was the sport for me."

Dale Velzy mentored many of the best-known shapers of the '60s
and early '70s, and Bing Copeland was one of them. In the early '50s,
he helped Velzy by gluing up balsa blanks, shaping wood fins, sanding
boards, but "mostly sweeping up balsa shavings." He also worked as a
lifeguard between 1954 and 1955, the savings from which allowed him to
make his first trip to Hawaii in September 1955. Money ran out in a few
months, so Bing and good friend Rick Stoner joined the Coast Guard.
Fortunate enough to be stationed near Honolulu, they surfed Ala Moana
every afternoon and the North Shore during their annual 30-day leave.

Discharged in late '57, Bing went back to surfing and
lifeguarding in California. But within months, he was off again, this
time crewing on a 42-foot sailboat with Rick Stoner to Hawaii, Tahiti,
Moorea and beyond. They ended up in New Zealand in November of 1958,
where they surfed for two months. Before leaving, they built eight or
ten boards for members of a local surf club, which led them to open
Bing and Rick Surfboards on the Hermosa Beach strand in October of
1959. A year later, Bing bought out Rick and Bing Surfboards was born.
By 1965, production had reached 40 boards a day.

Bing Copeland influenced surfing in many ways and worked with
some of best-known surfers of the time. Names like Donald Takayama and
David Nuuhiwa were included on the list of famous Bing team riders;
Takayama is also a very talented shaper and introduced the Bing Donald
Takayama Model. He also helped develop two extremely popular Bing
models bearing the Nuuhiwa name--the "Noserider" and the
"Lightweight"--of which an estimated 10,000 units were sold between
1965 and 1967. In 1967, surfboard designer Dick Brewer shaped the Bing
Pipeliner, a model that Brewer still shapes today. In 1973, Bing
produced a trademarked Bonzer model, a design introduced a year earlier
and one of the first to use three fins--now a standard on all
performance shortboards.

By 1974, Bing licensed his popular name and moved his family to
Idaho, where he lives at least half of each year. He spends winters in
Baja, where he still surfs 3 or 4 days a week. Bing Copeland has been
extremely gracious about sharing both his insights and his adventures
during the greatest days the sport has ever known. Today, talented
surfboard shaper Matt Calvani and well-known '60s surfer Lance Carson
have teamed up to make Bing surfboards and clothing available once
again. They have a website that's worth the visit have a look at www.classicbingsurfboards.com

Check out more classic shop biographies at http://www.lastwave.com/legends/

The past few months have been an interesting roller coaster ride
for the U.S. surfboard industry, which was plunged into panic after the
abrupt closure of Clark Foam. Now, after seven or eight months of dire
foam shortages, we seem to be facing in the domestic market an
overabundance of polyurethane blanks. In the uncertainty following
Clark's demise, the door of opportunity has been thrown wide open to a
bewildering array of materials and manufacturing methods, some of them
new, some of them long-standing. Many of these 'emerging' materials
have hovered on the fringes of the surf industry for years, while other
technologies finally found a breathing hole in which to surface.

It is important that we consider all these many alternatives to
ensure that we are using the best materials and construction methods to
make our beloved surfboards. In determining the 'best,' of course, we
must look at many factors - strength, durability, environmental impact,
aesthetics, ease of production and cost. And the astute board builder,
after investigating all the alternatives, once again concludes that
polyurethane foam makes the best core for most surfboards.

All surfers owe a debt of gratitude to Gordon Clark. For over 40
years he has given us a high-quality, durable material that was
affordable, easy to work with, and simple to customize. Clark's
persistent advances in his product quality and variety (especially the
addition of his line of close tolerance blank plugs pioneered by Pat
Rawson and Rusty Preisendorfer) allowed many surfers to take up
shaping, many of whom might never have even attempted to do so had the
blanks and foam densities remained crude and oversized.

Clark continued to develop his product right to the very end. Even
as he was forced to shut down he was still working on new formulations,
and was actively looking for the next product or tool improve his
product or factory.

Now, it's a whole new world out there. Both the surfboard builder
and the layman customer are faced with a bewildering choice of
materials from which to build surfboards. Some materials and methods,
such as the hollow carbon and parabolic wood railed construction, offer
fantastic technology and produce great boards, but they aren't
practical for large production runs, nor do they allow for the intimate
customization that many surfers have become accustomed to.

Lately, polystyrene foams like EPS (expanded polystyrene) have
made some big inroads to the market. To some, EPS appears to be the
best alternative to polyurethane foam. Use of polystyrenes as surfboard
cores dates back to WWII and its development as part of the war effort,
though interest in it has waxed and waned many times. When Gordon Clark
first began producing blanks he had the opportunity to use polystyrene,
too - so why, we wonder, did he choose to work only with polyurethane?

Polystyrenes come in either extruded or expanded (from bead) form.
Extruded foams come in big blocks that must be cut with a hotwire into
blank form prior to the stringer glue-up. Expanded polystyrenes mostly
come in block form, too, although some manufacturers expand the
polystyrene beads in molds just like regular blanks. As the molds are
metal, they are very expensive and difficult to make. And in the end,
EPS foams are troublesome and hard to shape cleanly.

Polystyrene does have a few advantages over polyurethane. One plus
is that the foam can be formulated in very light densities. Another is
that they maintain an even strength because, whereas molded
polyurethane blanks get softer toward the center, polystyrene foams
possess a constant density throughout. Some surfers also like the
liveliness and feeling of greater buoyancy offered by polystyrene
boards.

However, polystyrenes do have their disadvantages. For one, whether
extruded or expanded, they must be glassed with an epoxy resin. Epoxy
resins are more likely to cause adverse reactions in workers handling
them than do the polyester resins commonly used with polyurethane foam.
EPS blanks are usually glassed with some sort of opaque color scheme
because they are tougher to finish-shape as smoothly as polyurethane
foam. And because of the bead composition of EPS foams, they can be
tricky to shape and must be spackled or otherwise sealed before
glassing. But perhaps the biggest drawback is that both extruded and
expanded polystyrene blanks must be meticulously glassed: extruded
foams have a history of core-to-skin bond failure, and EPS blanks, once
encased in the fiberglass skin, can suck incredible amounts of water
through the tiniest pinhole. Furthermore, while many surfers rave about
the lightweight boards resulting from use of these materials, just as
many disdain the inherent stiffness of the polystyrene foam sandwich
construction.

So, all these drawbacks bring us right back to polyurethane. As a
core for most surfboard types it bestows numerous benefits: its
components are relatively inexpensive, and are expanded in molds that
are fairly inexpensive and easily made, therefore allowing a wide
selection of blank sizes and shapes. It is easy to work with, and
responds magnificently with common tools and sandpaper. Because it can
be finished so smoothly, polyurethane allows a consistency and fine
detail in with resin tinting and airbrushing that it hard to beat,
granting to the builder and customer the potential for infinite
customization. There are drawbacks, of course. Some production problems
can arise, including: air bubbles in the foam; pour streaks and marks
caused by uneven distribution of the resins in the mold; inconsistent
density and soft spots from improperly measured volume and placement of
the resins in the mold; and softer areas pooling in the center of the
blank.

TDI (toluene diisocyante), a reactive agent in most polyurethane
foams and the primary culprit in the demise of Clark Foam, is on its
way to being legislated out of the U.S., though some factories are
still allowed to use it because of grandfather clauses and expensive
factory retrofits. Painstaking industrial hygiene must be practiced
when workers handle TDIs. Surfers are growing more and more aware of
environmental issues and are taking a good hard look at the nasty
components of their surfboards. Yet, in the wake of the Clark Foam
closure, and its subsequent indictment of TDIs, several start-up blank
manufacturers have set up shop just south of the California border, in
order to take of advantage of cheap labor and, more importantly, to use
TDIs unhindered by EPA issues in the U.S.

Right now, thousands of blanks are streaming into the U.S. from
factories around the world - South Africa, Brazil, Argentina, Spain,
Australia, China, and the UK. The vast majority of these manufacturers
use TDI in their blanks. In addition to the various tolls exacted by
this known carcinogen, it seems to me that shipping containers of a
lightweight product like foam around the world is wasteful and just
doesn't make sense. Having the cores of our supposedly 'green'-oriented
surfcraft hauled all over the planet by the shipping container network
is hardly 'green' thinking. Shipping just the raw materials needed to
make a foam blank is at least 18 times more fuel-efficient than
shipping the whole blank.

However, there is another type of polyurethane foam now available,
one using MDI (methylene di-phenyl di-isocyanate) instead of TDI. Even
Gordon Clark was experimenting with MDI-based foam before he called it
quits. The main health hazard associated with isocyanates stems from
the inhalation of aerosols, which can cause respiratory problems. When
molding rigid foams such as surfboard blanks, there is the additional
hazard of partially cured foam dust being released into the air during
the de-molding process. MDI, with a vapor pressure of some 2500 times
less than that of TDI at ambient temperatures, is by far the least
hazardous of the commonly available isocyanates. This means that the
molding pressure is much less and, therefore, a part out of the mold is
more fully cured. According to NIOSH (National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health), studies have demonstrated that
commercial grade TDI is carcinogenic in rats and mice and therefore TDI
is a substance "which may be reasonably anticipated to a carcinogen."

A modern MDI-based blank plant, such as Homeblown U.S. in San
Diego, relies on a computer-controlled pouring machine that ensures the
resins are delivered precisely in the correct amount to the mold's
extremities. This results in an astonishing consistency - with minimal
waste - in blank manufacture. Air voids and pour marks are eliminated
and a consistent density and hardness is achieved throughout the blank.
The resulting MDI-based foam blanks are 15% to 25% stronger in
compression strength than any other TDI foam of comparable density,
according to the results of independent testing. MDI-based foams are
rated ten times more waterproof than those based on TDI, and so suffer
much less saturation when dinged. The consistent density throughout
allows for very clean CNC shaping with no concerns about softer foam
toward the center of the blank. The smaller cell structure is excellent
for color work and absorbs less resin, resulting in lighter and
stronger boards overall. While some builders might worry about about
delamination, this isn't seen as a factor because delamination
typically occurs when foam separates from itself - which is far less
likely with MDI-based foam.

Finally, we are right back where we started. The surfboard builder
and customer faces a wider array of surfboard materials and composite
technologies than ever before - yet we find ourselves circling back to
polyurethane again and again. Way back in 1960 Gordon Clark recognized
it was a fantastic material for the mass production of surfboards. A
chemical engineer, he had in his over his nearly 45 years of successful
blank manufacture countless opportunities to experiment with myriad
materials - and yet polyurethane always won out. Ultimately, he
realized - as we must - that polyurethane is the easiest foam to work
with, allows for beautifully colored, customized surfboards, and is
strong, flexible and relatively inexpensive. It is still the best
choice for a surfboard core. The bane of polyurethane foam manufacture
has always been the use of TDI rather than MDI. All the TDI-based foams
in the world can - at their best - only hope to pick up where Clark
left off. Gordon Clark knew that MDI-based foam was the future of
polyurethane, and polyurethane is still the future of surfboards - and
surfing.

Putting the board in high-energy positions on a wave is when it
excels the best. Finding that water sucking off the reef to bank off
for bottom turns creates the most energy and speed. That's the thing
with these boards; they constantly have potential energy, even while
sitting there. The rocker is put into these boards with the glass skin,
meaning the core and stringered rails constantly want to go flat, its
like the board is constantly jumping forward!

Once you get over the board and discover that you have to let it do
its own thing under your feet, it is complete mindsurfing. Depending on
the types of waves you're surfing the different template and fin
choices can suit to work any sort of waves. It makes you look for
different lines, different levels of energy and the possibilities to
connect all of this energy together. And in each of these energies that
is a section, you can continually throw harder and harder turns because
they will only increase your speed and the possibilities. It's very
hard to slow down on these boards, only by pulling radically tight
turns in what seem to be impossible places followed by an immediate
body drag of some sort can you stop the board. Stepping on the tail
like a normal stall only flattens the rocker and makes you go faster,
the afterburner effect!

The twin fin keel fish works absolutely insane at the long points
here in California; choosing the right wave that grows and speeds up,
no speed barrier has yet to be found, it is only limited to what energy
the rider can draw out of the wave. Normally such a wide tail can be
tough to manage in the tube, but the pins on the fish will flex up into
the power of the tube, allowing higher lines and tighter turns than any
other fish.

For the tighter and shorter playful beach breaks, a 5'5''x 20.5'' x
2'' quad fin round tail has been a blast. Wide and stiff with a
snowboard material bottom, the thing is indestructible! It is the
closest feeling to a skateboard I have experienced on the water, but
this exact board is more of a rail-to-rail style than most people like,
but something I suggest people try.

The tri-fins have proven themselves as well. Tested in some sizeable
surf in California and a few good days on the North Shore. They work
amazing for just sitting deep in big barrels and doing nice speed
carves up under the lip. We've gone through a number of the thruster
shaped boards, and have found the stiffer ones to be better for this
style of riding and for more juicy waves. With a more narrow board in
the nose and tail compared to the fish and quad shapes, the system
likes to bend more than needed, but by making it stiffer it feels more
and more like a regular board, wanting to go vertical and do quick
snaps rather than speed producing carves. It's all just what your into
and the feelings you are searching for. The board can be built to each
rider, with either a specific style or none at all in mind!

The new realm of displacement surfing has started for those who want
to reach out and grab it, it is an entirely different avenue of riding
a wave, one where flow, connectivity, and being smooth will generate
previously unexperienced speeds. Unmakeable lines, turns, floaters, and
altogether waves become easily makeable, all you have to do is draw the
line with your mind and hold on.

-Cameron Biehl (Wibb Test Rider)

Early Wooden Boards(TM) had laminated and shaped solid wood rails. By
this stage I had developed my vacuum bagging techniques to wrap the
rails with veneer, sand a bevel, then laminate the second side,
overlapping at the rails. Labor intensive, but lighter and not so hard
on the shins if you were banged by the board.

Probably one of the most beautiful multi-wood boards I have ever
built, this was a 6'10" Clark Foam core, probably shaped by Steve
Boehne. Erik Aeder took this tidepool shot on the North Shore circa
1978.

From the rails inward, the woods go: teak, bacot , zebrawood, padouk
(from the Adaman Islands, for you tsunami buffs) and English brown oak.

Bookmatching this many veneers took time to find enough for both
sides, select order and to laminate. A s each veneer was 1/42nd of an
inch thick, sanding was always the high anxiety part of the process.

The best part of any wood board building is when the first coat of
epoxy is applied, giving the wood grains depth and bringing out the
contrasts and color intensities.

The Eden-inspired Eco Board is being taken to California to spur the surfing world towards a greener future.

Eden's Sustainability Director Chris Hines will present the board at
the commissioning of UK-based surfboard blank manufacturer Homeblown's
new factory in San Diego.

The Eco Board started life after a giant balsa tree fell to earth in Eden's Humid Tropics Biome. www.edenproject.com

Chris Hines and colleague Pat Hudson worked with Cornwall-based
companies to make a "blank" - a surfboard core - from the timber and
more environmentally friendly materials than those used in conventional
board protection.

The result is a collaboration between Eden and Homeblown and two
other companies, Sustainable Composites and Hillzee Surfboards, all of
which are based in Cornwall.

The latest prototype is made of a 40% plant-based blank, laminated
in hemp cloth and a bio-resin. Eden hopes that the new greener
technology will win over the Californian surfing industry recently
shaken by the closure of Clark Foam.

This giant comapny manufactured 65% of the world's surfboard blanks
but went out of business following stringent new environmental
regulations.

Chris Hines said, "Showing a prototype surfboard to the Californians
may seem like taking coals to Newcastle but we believe that the new
version of the Eco Board represents a hugely exciting leap forward for
the industry and sport."

"For manufacturers and surfers to be won over by them, Eco Boards
must be as good, if not better, in terms of performance, and cost
competitive. Ultimately we believe all surfboards will be made from
sustaible materials sourced from the indigenous plant base."

Chris Hines, whof ounded the pressure group Surfers Against Sewage
and was recently awarded the Surfer's Path Green Wave Award, is to
present the latest prototype to a senior member of thee US surfing
community. Glenn Hening of the USA and founder of Surfrider Foundation
and the Groundswell Society was joint recipient of the Green Wave Award.

Chris added: "The Eco Board project is a natural fit with Eden's core values of plants, people and sustainable futures."

Homeblown Managing Director Tris Cokes said, "I've been making
boards for 40 years and in that time surfing has become a huge global
industry with global environmental and social impacts.

"When Clark Foam announced their shut down in December last year, we
immediately saw the opportunity and this opening is a great landmark.
We are pleased that the chemistry and processes used in Homeblown
production comply with the US Environmental Protection Agency's tough
regulations. Our unique delivery system also means highly efficient use
of materials and energy and reduced waste streams."

THe San Diego factory will be Homeblown's third, following their
Redruth, Cornwall outlet and one in Jeffrey's Bay, South Africa.

Tris said, "We believe it is vitally important to reduce 'surfboard miles' by manufacturing close to the market.

"By following this policy we reduce the carbon footprint and global
warming impact of the sport. It is a form of madness to transport
surfboard blanks halfway round the world. Big volume and low weight
being transported long distances equals a big negative environmental
footprint."

On the importance of the green prototype, Tris is clear: "The Eco
Board is the real future. This is one in a series of prototypes, but we
are moving rapidly and hope to progress the foam and get to market in
the near future.

"We will continue working with Eden and our other partners in
pursuit of the ultimate goal, a 100% natural surfboard that can be used
by everyone."

The party from Cornwall, UK are protecting the planet by offsetting
the carbon generated by their flights through climatecare.org.

For further information, please contact:

David Rowe - drowe@edenproject.com - +44 (0) 1726 811 901


Chris Hines - chines@edenproject.com - +44 (0) 1726 818 735, +44 (0) 7850 561 171


Tris Cokes - tris@homeblown.co.uk - +44 (0) 1209 314 446




Homeblown USA - info@homeblownus.com - +1 587 2163

Notes to Editors:

• Eden Project Limited is owned by Eden Trust, which is a fully registered UK Charity (No. 1093070).

• Eden is home to the two biggest greenhouses in the world - the Humid Tropics Biome and Warm Temperature Biome.

• Around 1.2 million visitors come to Eden per year and it has generated 700 million for the local economy.

• So far capital funding of
  135 million to develop Eden has been raised from a combination of 58
  million from the Millennium Commission Lottery Fund, 50 million in
  regional grants from the South West Regional Development Agency and
  Objective One European Regional Development Fund, and 27 million in
  the form of loans, lease finance and Eden's own revenue generation.

• 
  
  Immediate information may be obtained from our website: www.edenproject.com.

Text and photos by Wetsand

Fin Descriptions

Thruster Fins

A tri-fin design that revolutionized surfing. Invented by Simon Anderson and Frank Williams, but usually credited to Anderson. A thruster has a 3 fins of similar size and template with the center fin being the stabilizer, or thruster. This is currently the most commonly used fin set up with the most commonly used foil pattern being symmetrical for the center fin and asymmetrical outside fins. Bonzer Fins

The Bonzer fin was conceived by the Campbell brothers, Duncan and Malcom of Oxnard California, in 1969. The brothers were tired of the limitations they found with single and twin fins (single fins not being loose enough and twin fins being too loose. Bonzer fins were originally a triangle shape and were designed out of a passion for speed and maneuverability. Designed to fit on Bonzer boards, which boasted the first single to double concave (which you now see on most thrusters used in professional competitions) based on Jacob Bernoulli's principle, the Venturi effect. The double barrel concave inside of the side fins creates an area of low pressure so the high pressure water under the front third of the board is drawn to the low pressure area jetting the water through the concaves and out the back creating speed. In the beginning there was the 3 fin bonzer, which has a center fin, and two keel-like triangular side fins that are usually canted and slightly toed in. Now there is also a 5 fin bonzer option, arguably the fastest, that incorporates a more rounded template than the original triangular side fin. The five fin design has about as much surface area as the 3 fin, but the area is split between two fins instead of one and the fins are spaced creating another channel for water flow. Bonzers are all about speed and agility. Twinzer and Quad Fins

The twinzer was invented by Wil Jobson and generally has two larger toed in fins in the middle and two smaller fin placed outside (closer to the rail) and closer to the nose than the center fin. Other quad set-ups often get mistaken for twinzers, but this was the original. There are unlimited possibilities for fin set-ups...especially in quads. Toby Pavel has combined bonzer, twinzer and fish designs to create the Pavel Speed dialer under the Rainbow label. If you put two speed dialer fins together you'll find a keel fin. Pavel split the keel fin like the Campbell brothers split the bonzer for their 5 fin. Fin placement in quads can vary as can the foil, flex, template, cant and toe patterns. Flex Fin

Thanks to George Greenough for this fin innovation. First tested on one of Greenough's kneeboards; today most makers of stand up board fins have at least one flex fin template in their quiver. A flex fin will angle and create tension through a turn and then release creating propulsion out of the turn. A flex fin is loose and sometimes less precise than a stiff fin. Preference plays a big part in fin choice. Some who go flex never go back and some surfers like stiff fin options. An optimal flex pattern is one that recoils back into its original position. A flex fin that doesn't spring back can get a little out of control. These designs are great for turning and generating speed, but are not highly recommended for nose riding. Paddle Fin (Stage 6)

George Greenough has been revolutionizing fin design since the 1960's and he's done it again. The paddle fin and Greenough were highly influenced by windsurfing skegs. The combination of the stiff leg and active paddle helps to generate powerful turns. On larger sizes the paddle makes for great nose rides. Star Fin (Wing Fin, Zip Fin, 3D Red Tip, Winged Keel)

Original concept by Cheyne Horan and designed in conjunction with Ben Lexcen. Inspired by Australia's victory in the 1980 America's Cup, Horan thought the keel of Australia II could be modified for use on a surfboard. This seems appropriate seeing as a boat keel inspired Blake to put the first fin on a board. Designers are still looking to boats for relevant design strategies. In 1984 Horan met with Lexcen and after much advanced testing in the water tank they came up with the star fin design. In more recent years FCS has introduced a smaller version for use as the center fin in a thruster set-up. The 3D Red Tip was designed by Gold Coast surfer/shaper John Harris. Original design influences for this fin date back to aeroplane wing design, especially the WWII British fighter the spitfire. Fish, whale and numerous yacht keel innovations all helped to formulate the star fin concept. This style fin creates tail lift and positive drive, also speed and acceleration through turns as well as tip time. The latest contribution to this fin design was a Laird Hamilton outline released by Future Fins. Same concept with some of the same characteristics of one of Laird's hydro foils. Cutaway Fin

The cutaway fin utilizes a decreased base area with a normal sized tip giving the fin the look of having the base cut from it, hence the name. This style fin loosens up the board and is great for turning because more water can flow perpendicular so the fin with the decreased base area. Usually used in 2+1 performance longboards and is generally a shorter length than a standard single fin option (although cutaways are available in large sizes). These fins are not considered to be great nose riders, due in part to 2+1's not being great nose riders (side fins create wobble while on the nose) and also because of the decreased surface area. Hatchet Fin

Concept and design by Dewy Weber circa 1965. Original design was for the Dewey Weber Performer model board. Newer hatchet fin models incorporate more rake and a more angular tip than the original design. This style fin is great for nose riding and the increased rake in newer models has helped to increase the turning ability of this fin. In more recent years Future Fins have developed a hatchet series. The line includes two Vector sets with a middle hatchet fin campatable with the Future box system and a 6" hatchet for a traditional fin box. Keel Fin

The name of the Keel Fin is taken from boat design, which is appropriate because a boat keel was the inspiration for the first surfboard fin. The keel was first adapted and attached to a surfboard by design legend Tom Blake (Nub or Skeg Fin circa 1935). Over the years others refined the keel fin design (most notably Bob Simmons circa 1946-49) and gave it the basic template that is still used today. The keel fin filled it's full potential in the 70's when Steve Lis designed the first Fish. Keel fins are still the most stylish, highly functional fin used on a traditional Fish. Larry Gephart is the guru of the keel fin foil and it has been said that you can't have a real fish without a pair of Gephart fins and, to his credit, some of the greatest Fish shapers covet and use his fins. The keel fin has more surface area than the most shortboard fins, therefore, it delivers more drive, and thus, more speed. Speed, drive, and power all originate at the base of your fin, but the average shortboard fin has only a few inches of base. The surface area of a keel fin base usually more than doubles that of most shortboard fins. If you enjoy experiencing a lot of drive and speed out of your bottom turns then keel fins are a must, they are a necessity for any surfer who likes the feeling of fluid drawn out carves. If you think you know what shortboarding is all about and you've never surfed keel fins you're missing out. Plus, wooden keels add a little extra weight which is key for a real nice trim, but the don't weigh you down because they float. Twin Fin

Twin Fins were first put on a surfboard in 1943 by Tom Blake. His design, although revolutionary, was crude and very triangular with a base of about 12". Bob Simmons was the first to put keel fins on a twin fin. Simmons design was much more refined than Blake's, but it took Blake's innovations to get there. Other twin fin aficionados include George Greenough (high aspect ratio), Steve Lis, Skip Frye, Larry Gephart, and Mark Richards. Richards modified twin fin design by putting a more modern template on his boards. The shape resembled how most thruster fins look these days. In the 1970's, when most people were riding single fins, Mark Richards won 4 world titles riding twin fins. His style of fin loosens up the board a bit more than the keel fin. He is still designing fins two of which are sold by FCS, the MR TFX and the MR-X Carbon Lite. The MR TFX comes with an optional trailer fin if you want to make your board a tri fin. The trailer is a good optio for when the surf picks up and/or if you don't want your board as loose as the twin fin set-up. Pivot Fin

A pivot fin has little to no rake. Its turning capabilities are just what the name suggests; you actually pivot on the fin. The turn ends up being quicker and less drawn out (not a big carve) than a fin with more rake. This style fin is a great nose rider. Pivot fin designs include the Nuuhiwa Noserider (the old DT Pivot), the Fins Unlimited Pivot 9.5", and the straightback (circa 1965). The True Ames Velzy Noserider and Heritage fins are takes on the pivot. They both incorporate a template similar to a pivot with significantly more rake than most. The Velzy Noserider also has far less surface area than a standard pivot fin. D Fin

George Downing is often credited with this design. First introduced as the Downing Gun Fin; although, the first fin of this template may have existed earlier possibly via McDonagh surfboards (surf design is often debatable and begs the question: who did it first?). These fins are similar in shape to keel fins only with more surface area and a higher aspect ratio.

A few details you may or may not know about your fins.

The rake of the fin determines the lines drawn through turns. A fin
with a lot of rake is capable of wide drawn out turns and snaps. A fin
with a small amount of rake (Like Rainbow Fin Company's 9.5" Pivot Fin)
makes turning quick and pivotal creating an entirely different turning
feel. Rake can also aid in noseriding by hooking into the curl. Note:
Rake is not a necessity for turning or noseriding. A good example of a
fin with a lot of rake is the Rainbow Bio Flex Fin (as seen in photo).

The more base a fin has the more drive available off the bottom of
the wave. The less base a fin has (i.e. cutaways) the looser it will
become and the easier it will turn. However, there is an increased
possibility of slipping out when the size and/or power of the wave
increases. This is one of the reasons you often see cutaways on high
performance longboard that have side fins. A good example of a fin with
a limited base area is the Fins Unlimited Joel Tudor Karma Cutaway Fin
(as seen in photo).

Shorter, shallower, fins create less drag especially during turns,
but risk the possibility of pulling out of the water causing the board
to slip. This is especially true in longboards when a surfer is on the
nose. However they are perfect for throwing the fins out of the water
when hitting the lip. A good example of a more shallow fins are the FCS
GAM Fins (as seen in photo).

A flex fin will create tension through a turn and propulsion coming
out of it. Flex fins are looser, but less precise. It is desirable for
o flex fin to have the elasticity to bounce back into its true shape.
When the waves increase in size and/or power a stiffer fin is
recommended. A good example of a fin that flexes is the True Ames Skip
Frye Flex Fin (as seen in photo).

Fin Placement is a personal preference and depends on what style of
surfing is desired. Placing the fin forward in the box (closer to the
nose) will help hold the fin in the water especially when on the nose
and during high-speed situations. This placement will also aid in trim
speed. Moving the fin back in the box (closer to the tail) will loosen
up the board and make for easier turning capabilities. This is
especially true in Longboards; however, in smaller single fins moving
the fin forward in the box can aid in tight pocket turning. Note that
there are a lot of aspects in board design that factor into performance
aside from the fin ie. bouyancy, tail dimensions, the rail, concave,
convex, etc. And there are even more scenarios for fin placement in
boards with 2 fins, 3 fins, 4 fins and 5 fins. Small adjustments in fin
placement can make a huge difference, so a little experimentation is
recommended to figure out what works best for you. A fin that is
almost all the way back in the box is pictured in the photo.

The more power, and/or height, a wave has the more lift it will
create under a surfer's board. To aid in holding the board in the water
a larger and stiffer fin (or fins) is often needed. A good example of
this is the FCS Sunny Garcia Fins (as seen in photo).

The Science of Fin Dynamics can get
rather confusing. Here are a few definitions and relevant facts to aid
in the learning process. Diagrams Coming Soon!

Cant
- When a fin is angled out in relation to the bottom of the board (when
the tip of the fin is farther away from the stringer than the base of
the fin). If the board is flat on the bottom and the fin is straight up
at a 90-degree angle, the fin will have no cant. A board that has V in
the tail will have naturally canted fins; likewise, a board with
concave through the tail will naturally have less cant. Not enough cant
can make it hard to go from rail to rail and too much can diminish
drive. Cant angle is measured in degrees.

Toe In
- When a fin is angled out in relation to the center stringer (when the
front edge of the fin is closer to the stringer than the trailing edge
at the tip). Traditionally, center fins have no toe in. Fins that
utilize toe in are usually, but not always: thrusters, quads, twinnies,
twinzers, and bonzers. Too much toe will create drag and not enough
toe can make the board stiff. Standard tow for a thruster is somewhere
between in to 3/16 in.

Foil
- When the thickness of a surface changes from the front of the fin to
the back (the curved surface of a fin). A foil is a hydrodynamic or
aerodynamic surface that changes and/or aids in the flow of water (or
air) when in motion. An asymmetrical foil is curved on one side and
flat on the other or has different curves on each side and a
symmetrical foil exhibits an even curve on each side of the fin.

Aspect Ratio - The base to height ratio of a fin. Also the length to width ratio of a fin.

Mean Line - The line equally distant from the upper and lower surfaces of the foil.

Chord Line - The straight line joining the leading edge to the trailing edge.

Camber
- The maximum distance between the mean line and chord line. For
example, if the maximum distance between the mean line and the chord
line is 5% of the length of the chord, then the fin has a 5% Camber.
Note-On symmetrical foils camber is a straight line and on asymmetrical
foils camber is a curve. (Mean, Chord, Camber-see diagrams)

Fin Area - The surface area of a fin measured on one side.

Fin Base - The length of the fin that touches the surfboard.

Fin Tip - The point of the fin and the part that is deepest in the water.

Rake - The curved edges of a fin (both leading and trailing edge).

Flex Pattern - How stiff or flexible a fin is.

Fin Systems
- The fin system refers to the joint, which anchors the fin to the
board. There have been several different fin system designs. When fin
systems first began being implemented there was no universal system.
There still is no one system...there are several. Single fins use the
most universal system called a fin box. The fin box of today was
developed by Bill Bahne of Fins Unlimited. The Bahne box has become
universal and most single fins made today fit in them. Prior to 1970
other fin box innovators included George Downing, Midget Farrelly and,
Tom Morey. In 1965 Morey designed molded fins for a compatible locking
system called TRAF. Again in 1966 Morey introduced another locking
system, this time called the Wonder Bolt System which was much
improved. Tom Morey was in innovator again in 1968 with the Waveset Box
under Morey-Pope. All 3 Morey systems featured a box system with a line
of compatible fins. With the arrival of the thruster in the 1980's more
fin systems came onto the scene. In the 1990's several companies
introduced thruster box systems including, but not limited to: FCS,
LokBox, Future, Red X, Swivel Fin, O'Fish'l, 4 Way Fin System. Fin
system choice is a matter of preference as it doesn't look like there
will ever be one universal model. There have been numerous innovations
and innovators (some of who may not have been mentioned) throughout the
progression of fin systems and it has taken all of them to get to where
we are today.

It's hard to put it into years because riding big waves has always
been a state of mind. The size just got bigger and bigger as I got
older...but I always wanted to sit outside and catch the biggest
wave....even if it was closed out. I just wanted to see if I could get to
the bottom.

I was talking with Pat Curren and he said that it was a similar
thing for him. He would sit outside. He just wanted to catch the
biggest wave. So, I guess to put it a little more direct, the biggest
waves I caught up to about 1971 were at Sunzal in El Salvador. I went
out on a really big day on a really little board and that was my first
exposure to anything huge other than Rincon in 1969...so start early. Big
waves can be 6 feet or 50 feet. It's the biggest thing that comes in...
and that's the drive.

How do things change when you move from normal to big surf?

Well...for anytime you push your limits, going back to that state of
mind, it gives you an adrenaline rush. There is that thrill that you
aren't going to make it. And then when you do... The elated sensation
when you do accomplish it, or you don't...but the wipeout is fun too.
There's a rush to surviving that but as you go bigger and bigger the
gravity or the feeling of throwing yourself off a building or
something...I don't like to be in high places cause if I get close ( to
the edge) I want to jump. I mean there is something inside me that
wants to experience that. So I'm scared of it but when I ride big waves
I can experience that weightlessness...that feeling of just throwing
myself over the ledge.

You get to a point where you can't paddle that fast and it becomes
impossible to do that so sometimes when you are at that level ( of
surf) your looking down and there is only one or two that you might be
able to get. At about 40 foot faces it starts to become marginal and
about 50 foot it becomes 1 or 2 then over that it's pretty much
impossible to get down ( the face) but its basically the same
feeling...you can get the same thing if it was your first 6 foot wave at
pipeline...where the bottom comes out and you don't feel like you are
going to make it.

So it's that feeling. You get comfortable at 6 ft. Then you get comfortable at 10 foot. Then you get comfortable at 15 foot.

Then you get comfortable at 20 foot. Then you try and get
comfortable at 25 foot but no one ever gets comfortable at 30 foot. So
you know, you just keep walking up the ladder but you are searching
that same feeling. The feeling that you aren't going to make it and
then...you climb Mount Everest ...you do it.

What are your favorite big wave spots?

My absolute favorite place for huge waves is Todos Santos cause I'm
so comfortable and I have the most experience out there...and it's
probably the least crowded.

Rumor has it you go out there every year on your birthday?

Yeah, every year on my birthday. I'm going to try and keep doing it.
I got lucky this year cause two days before was the predicted good
swell and I saw that it was probably going to come a little bit later.
I like it when there is kind of bad winds, big and nobody out. It

turned out to be the biggest day of the year.

If I could surf Waimea with just a few people out that would be
next. It has warm water. One day we caught it about 20 feet, about 35
to 40 foot faces with Elijah Young and Cheyne Horan...just the three of
us. We had three hours by ourselves and that was incredible. I've had
one good day at Makaha Point. It's just like Rincon. It's probably the
best big wave ever but it doesn't break very often...and then Dungeons in
South Africa because it's such a challenge and I've put some time in
there.

Tell us about the changes in equipment at that level.

A good board for big waves for me has basically got to have some
volume. It's got to be big and chunky! You are going to be dealing with
a lot of power. You aren't going to be worrying about sinking the rail.
You want to have soft edges. Mark Foo told me to make a board for him
and he goes, "soften this thing up 'cause I'm not worried about getting
speed. I'm worried about landing. I don't want to catch on anything." (
laughs) You just keep it simple. You want to basically keep a flat
bottom with some vee between the fins but I guess neutral in a word
would be the best way to describe it.

You also want to have some good tail rocker and I like to have low
entry rocker and a lot of tail rocker because I don't want it ( the
board) to push me out front ( of the wave). I want it to fit in that
curve and I'm going to be standing on that tail because I want that
nose to be up.

Gary Linden pulling in

Tell us a little about your experience with Tow In surfing.

I started towing in 1995 with Cheyne and the Willis brothers in
Hawaii. I've also towed into some big waves in Todos and some at
Dungeons. As part of the Billibong Odyssey the most fun was towing in
to the Columbia Rivermouth. That was just incredible.

I like it a lot but just don't have the time to do all of the
training necessary. The endurance of going behind a ski that's going 40
miles per hours....most humans aren't made for this so you've got to
spend time in the gym to beef up your leg muscles, your arms, and your
back.

Also, I prefer to savor my big waves. It's going to take me two or
three hours to catch 4 waves paddling in. It's a big
accomplishment...like hunting with a bow and arrow. Towing in is like
having a gun and having someone run the deer by you (laughs)!

You tow into a wave, your down, you grab the rope, back up and out,
towed into one more. You don't get to rest. I want to remember every
wave I paddle into. For me it's just my position in life. If I had more
time, I'd chase more waves tow and paddle. I don't have anything
against it. For me there is just no time for the training necessary.

Hold downs at this level...how do you deal with them?

You've got to be able to appreciate the thrill of the experience of
being held down. It's more of an adrenaline rush than making it...when
you take that first breath after being held down for so long. If you
are afraid of it, you aren't going to make it. It's all about relaxing.
You have to be able to relax. So if you are prepared for being held
down and you are not worried about being held down then it's just a
matter of time.

I worry about hitting my head...getting hit by your board or hitting
the bottom. Those are the two dangers. The rest is just a matter of
overcoming fear. I had asthma when I was a child so I learned how to
relax and not gasp for breath. I mean if you panic when you have asthma
it gets worse. If you relax you are going to make it through. Flea has
asthma really bad too. It's basically the same thing. So I'm not
stressed about getting air and I've been through some long hold downs.
You try and get a big breath before and try to not use it. You just try
to not panic and try to let it go and ....just relax.

How has surfing big waves affected your shaping?

Surfing big waves has affected my shaping a lot on guns because I'm really confident I can make you a board that works. I

think it's important. If you really want to ride big waves, get a
board from someone who has ridden them because it's a whole different
playing field out there. I'm really confident in that.

You know when Dick Brewer makes guns few people know that he used to
ride really big waves too. That just carries over ( to the shaping
room). Jeff Clark makes good guns and rides big waves. It doesn't take
as much shaping ability as much as big wave experience to make a good
big wave gun...I don't think. Some really good shapers that don't ride
big waves, unless they listen really closely make terrible guns.

You can't just make a high performance shortboard for big waves. You
have got to be out there. You just don't have any idea from your
shaping room what its like when you ride a 20 foot wave. It's a whole
different playing field. You can look at something that you think is
going to work...when you get out there and you do have the misfortune of
catching one (laughs) you just get annihilated! That's part of the core
thing of being a big wave surfer/shaper.

Customize and order big wave guns, tow-boards, and other surfboards from Gary Linden and other top shapers at www.surfboardbuilders.com